The Foundation - News

May 2010
Now on CD: "The Sealed Angel" performed by the Latvian State Choir

Rodion Shchedrin composed the liturgy “The Sealed Angel”, as he himself said, “followed his heart”, nearly “as if someone were guiding his hand”. Shchedrin, who is from a deeply religious family, had to keep secret his own religious belief for decades because of external political circumstances in the former Soviet Union. He could express his personal religiousness only occasionally and in code in his musical works, for example, in "Poetorium" (1968) or in the Third Piano Concert (1973). At the end of the Soviet period, as the new time of change started without being able to be stopped, it was gradually possible to disclose the expression of religiousness in the music. In 1988 “The Sealed Angel” was composed and performed for the first time. It was the year of celebrating the thousand-year anniversary of the Christianization of Russia. For “The Sealed Angel” Shchedrin was awarded with the “State Prize of Russia”, which was handed over to him in 1992 by the president of Russia - Boris Yeltsin at that time. Nowadays the work is one of the significant choral works of the 20th century and of Russian sacred music at all.

This release by WERGO is a live recording of the concert on 17 July 2009 in the context of the composer portrait of Rodion Shchedrin at the Rhinegau Music Festival. The Latvian State Choir “Latvija” and its conductor Maris Sirmais, who performed that evening “The Sealed Angel” in the ancient basilica of the Eberbach Monastery, left a big impression on the audience because of the great interpretation of the work and the high technical level of the choir.

“The Latvian State Choir is one of the finest choirs I have ever heard … With Maris Sirmais, the choir is fortunate to work with an extraordinary choral director. The expressivity of his conducting places both the singers and the audience under his spell. In his experienced hands, the acoustics of the ancient, legendary Eberbach Monastery are transformed into a faithful ally and magician’s assistant. I am sure that after hearing this CD you will share my joy and enthusiasm as well.” (Rodion Shchedrin)

For further information and ordering the CD:
http://www.wergo.de/shop/de_DE/3/show,267885.html